Description
Although organic farming and agroecology are normally not associated with the use of new technologies, it’s rapid growth, new technologies are being adopted to mitigate environmental impacts of intensive production implemented with external material and energy inputs. GPS, satellite images, GIS, drones, help conventional farming in precision supply of water, pesticides, fertilizers. Prescription maps define the right place and moment for interventions of machinery fleets. Yield goal remains the key objective, integrating a more efficient use or resources toward an economic-environmental sustainability. Technological smart farming allows extractive agriculture entering the sustainability era. Societies that practice agroecology through the development of human-environmental co-evolutionary systems represent a solid model of sustainability. These systems are characterized by high-quality agroecosystems and landscapes, social inclusion, and viable economies.
This book explores the challenges posed by the new geographic information technologies in agroecology and organic farming. It discusses the differences among technology-laden conventional farming systems and the role of technologies in strengthening the potential of agroecology. The first part reviews the new tools offered by geographic information technologies to farmers and people. The second part provides case studies of most promising application of technologies in organic farming and agroecology: the diffusion of hyperspectral imagery, the role of positioning systems, the integration of drones with satellite imagery. The third part of the book, explores the role of agroecology using a multiscale approach from the farm to the landscape level. This section explores the potential of Geodesign in promoting alliances between farmers and people, and strengthening food networks, whether through proximity urban farming or asserting land rights in remote areas in the spirit of agroecological transition.
The Open Access version of this book, available at www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons 4.0 license.
Table of Contents
1. Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems: Inquiring Technological Approaches
Massimo De Marchi, Salvatore Eugenio Pappalardo and Alberto Diantini
Part I: Technologies and Geographic Information: Combining Sovereignties in Agroecology
2. Participatory Geographic Information Science: Disclosing the Power of Geographical Tools and Knowledge in Agroecological Transition
Massimo De Marchi and Alberto Diantini
3. Sustainable Agricultural Development to Achieve SDGs: The Role of Livestock and the Contribution of GIS in Policy-making Process
Alice Morandi
Part II: Agroecology at Farm Level: Contribution of New Basket of Growing Geographical Technologies
4. Revolution in Precision of Positioning Systems: Diffusing Practice in Agroecology and Organic Farming
Angela Gatti and Alessio Zanoli
5. Hyperspectral Remote Sensing and Field Spectroscopy: Applications in Agroecology and Organic Farming
András Jung and Michael Vohland
6. Drones for Good: UAS Applications in Agroecology and Organic Farming
Salvatore Eugenio Pappalardo, Diego Andrade
Part III: Landscapes and Ecosystem Services, Technologies for Agroecological Transitions
7. WebGIS: Status, Trends and Potential Uptake in Agroecology
Luca Battistella, Federico Gianoli, Marco Minghini and Gregory Duveiller
8. Geospatial Support for Agroecological Transition through Geodesign
Antoni B. Moore and Marion Johnson
9. Smart Cities and Agroecology: Urban Agriculture, Proximity to Food and Urban Ecosystem Services
Francesca Peroni, John Choptian and Samuel Ledermann
10. (Free and Open) Satellite Imageries for Land Rights and Climate Justice in Amazon Agroforestry Systems
Daniele Codato, Guido Ceccherini and Hugh D. Eva
11. Connecting Farms and Landscapes through Agrobiodiversity: The Use of Drones in Mapping the Main Agroecological Structure
Ingrid Quintero, Yesica Xiomara Daza-Cruz, Tomás Enrique León-Sicard
Part IV: Conclusions and Perspectives
12. Agroecological Transitions in the Era of Pandemics: Combining Local Knowledge and the Appropriation of New Technologies
Miguel Angel Altieri, Alberto Diantini, Salvatore Eugenio Pappalardo and Massimo De Marchi
